Innocence of a Soldier
by Echo the Nymph
Summary: Quatre feels very lonely, but an unexpected event shakes up the Winner household. Revised!
1. Innocence of a Soldier Chapter 1

TITLE: Innocence of a Soldier  
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gundam Wing.  
NOTES: For my sister, Anika. This fic takes place a year after Endless Waltz ends.   
  
Chapter 1: Alone  
Alone. That's what I am now. The others have managed to get on with their lives, but not me. Quatre sighed. I've been looking for Heero Yuy, but haven't found him. I just feel that he can help me overcome the demons of my past. He sighed again as he looked out over the colony. There was a sudden bright flash of light accompanied by a deep rumble. An explosion! The teen reverted to the actions of a Gundam pilot. He leapt over the railing of his balcony and lit on his feet. He raced off to the location of the explosion.  
  
As Quatre got there, he saw a raging inferno. Although the heat was intense, he didn't waver. The young man plunged right into the flames, and, in the middle of the inferno, he found a young woman close to his own age.  
  
The pilot grabbed her about the waist and drug her out of there. He then took the injured girl to his home and laid her on a spare bed. Then he filled a basin with cool water and began to soak a cloth in it. "Hey, little brother, what have you got there?" a voice inquired.  
  
"Hi, sister. I pulled this girl out of a fire. I think she'll be all right." he replied while placing the cloth on her feverish forehead. The girl moaned and stirred. Her eyes flew open, their blue depths showing fear.  
  
"Tousan, no!" she screamed in fear. The other two in the room stayed silent as the girl cried. After she had quieted she looked around the room she was in, apparently disoriented. "Where am I?" she inquired.  
  
"You're in the Winner house. My name is Quatre Raberba Winner. What is yours?" the young man stated. She looked at him, tears still streaming down her face.  
  
"My name is Selena Lowe." the young woman replied while wiping the tears from her face. Suddenly, she stood up and walked over to the mantle. The two Winners followed her over. "Where was this taken?" Selena inquired in a quivering voice.  
  
"This was taken at a Renaissance Festival." Quatre replied while taking it down so they could look at it more easily. "That was the last time we all saw each other. This one," he said while pointing to a boy with a long braid, "is Duo Maxwell. This one is Heero Yuy. The girl next to him is Relena Peacecraft-Darlien. The one with the green eyes is Trowa Barton. I'm standing next to him." he explained. "The Chinese boy is Chang Wufei. The girl with the black hair is Hilde. It all feels like it was so long ago." He sighed. Then they noticed Selena looking intently at Heero in that picture. "What is it?" Quatre inquired in confusion.  
  
"The one you called Heero Yuy, he is my cousin. His name is Odin Lowe." Selena replied while she shook slightly, more from exhaustion than from fear. The Sand Rock pilot helped the girl back to bed.  
  
"Hey, sis, could you keep an eye on Selena for me? I have a feeling that someone's coming." he explained.   
  
"Sure, little brother. Go be a pilot." she replied.  
  
He rolled his eyes as he walked away. Why doesn't she understand? That part of my life is over. The lives of those I took weighs heavily on me. Now that Sand Rock is gone, I sleep more easily, knowing that I won't be tempted to fight. And yet, at times, I still act like the war is going on. Like earlier. How did Selena get in there anyhow? He walked into the living room, only to see Duo standing there. Quatre rubbed his eyes to make sure that he wasn't hallucinating.   
  
The Braided One turned around, for he had seen his friend's reflection in the window. "Hey, Quatre! Good to see you again."  
  
"Duo, it's good to see you too, but why did you come here?" the blonde boy inquired.  
  
"Well, I've been noticing a problem with the new alliances. There is so much tension and conflict that war could break out again. Maybe we should call the other pilots here." Duo explained.  
  
"Good idea. If what you say is true, then we're going to need the Gundams again. Come with me." Quatre commanded. The two walked into a communications area, near where the original Zero had been built. There they opened a secure frequency. "Zero, Shenlong, Heavy Arms. Come to the Winner satellite as soon as possible. Trouble may be on the way, so we need to talk with you." the Sand Rock pilot spoke into the intercom. Then Duo pressed the transmit button.   
  
"Now we wait for them to show." Duo declared. He leaned back, apparently relaxed and confident that they would answer the summons. 


	2. Innocence of a Soldier Chapter 2

TITLE: Innocence of a Soldier  
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gundam Wing.  
NOTES: For my sister, Anika. A major Gundam Wing otaku.  
Chapter 2: Pilots Reunited  
There was a slight noise of a gun being loaded. The two pilots woke to see Heero Yuy looking at them. His gaze was as fierce as ever, but then startlement showed in his dark eyes. Selena looked at the boy who was her cousin, feeling very overwhelmed. When Dr. Jay had sent her back after it was clear that only five suits were needed, she had worried about her cousin. The boy shot to his feet in shock.   
  
"Selena, what are you doing here?" Heero demanded. Unusually, emotion showed in his voice. He cared for her in a way that was brotherly.  
  
She smiled. Still the same old Odin. "Quatre saved me last night, and there aren't any convenient hotels that would take someone in after they had been in a fire." she stated while walking up to her cousin. Heero laid his gun aside and drew her into a hug, causing Duo and Quatre to exchange odd looks. This wasn't what they had expected. They had thought he would ignore her, not hug her.  
  
There was a sudden flare up of barking. "Shut up, you weakling!" a voice cried. And that voice sounded like it had yelled a great deal before.  
  
"Sounds like Wufei's here." Duo casually commented. The cousins pulled apart just as a very angry Chinese boy stalked in.   
  
Trowa leapt in through the window (there was a wire coming to it from the street.), startling Selena. "What the...?" she cried, trailing off abruptly.  
  
"It's all right, Selena. He works in a circus." Quatre explained.  
  
"All right, Quatre. Why did you call us here?" Heero demanded.  
  
"Duo noticed the tensions between the alliances. There is another chance that war might break out. If that does happen, we're going to need the Gundams." he explained.   
  
Selena turned to the TV., and gasped. "What is it, Selena?" Heero asked in concern.  
  
"L-look." she replied. The other five pilots followed her gaze to the screen. The anchor of the news program began the breaking story.  
  
"And this just in. Zodiac Prophecy has just captured Miss Relena Peacecraft-Darlien. They have taken over every nation in the earth's sphere and are planning to overthrow the democratic governments of the colonies. A miracle is needed now." Quatre turned off the television.  
  
"It looks like our decision has been made for us. Time to remake our Gundams." he declared. Each pilot insticavely reached for the disk they always carried with themselves. These disks held the blueprints for their Gundams. Blueprints that were encoded in such a way that only they could decode them.  
  
"We may need to make use of the area where you first built Zero to remake our suits. Selena, we need you to find out as much about this new organization as possible." Heero declared.  
  
"Sure thing, cos. I'll check it out." the black haired girl replied. She brushed back some of her hair as she headed for the computer terminals that she had seen in the library.  
  
After she had left the room, Wufei turned angrily to Heero. "Are you sure that we can trust her?" he demanded.  
  
"Yes, we can trust her. Dr. Jay was training her to be the sixth pilot, should one be needed. Selena even knew about Operation Meteor."   
  
"Let's get going, guys. The Earth can't wait forever for us to rebuild our mobile suits." Quatre sighed in resignation. He wasn't looking forward to fighting again but knew it was necessary.  
  
~*~  
  
Selena sat down at a computer in the mansion's library. The girl logged on to the Internet and looked up the new organization. Her eyes widened in shock at what she saw. 'We, the Zodiac Prophecy, will contain all life to within the Earth Sphere. Anyone who opposes our authority will be killed. Anyone who supports a guerilla operation will be severely punished. This is a warning to all who live here.' She quickly got out of there. They almost sound communist. I've got to tell them about this. Somehow I don't think the five suits will be enough this time. In the back of her mind, she realized that the page had been posted as a warning. Then, she found the page they used to recruit unsuspecting people.  
  
~*~  
  
Heero hung in a precarious position, welding a piece of gundanium onto his suit. Trowa was carefully checking the way the barrels of Heavyarms' guns were made. Quatre lifted a tool from his toolbox, still surprised at how far they had gotten in only two hours. This is just amazing. The blueprints were in perfect order and there is enough gundanium to make a sixth suit. I just hope that these will be finished in time.  
  
Just then, Selena walked in, looking like she had seen a ghost. "Guys, we have major trouble. The new organization is totally ruthless and will attempt to kill anyone who would try to oppose them." she informed the group. Her eyes betrayed how upset she was about this turn of events. It would be hard fro them to find allies willing to fight in this case.  
  
"We'll definitely need more help then. Selena, do you remember everything that Dr. Jay taught you?" Heero inquired.  
  
"I remember. The mobile suit skill I had to use frequently to help keep our family afloat."   
  
"Then it's time for you to have your suit. From what you've said, these soldiers wouldn't care about anyone." Now is the time that it begins, my cousin. I know that you are ready for this task. The Firebird is back. 


	3. Innocence of a Soldier Chapter 3

TITLE: Innocence of a Soldier  
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gundam Wing.  
Chapter 3: The Sixth Gundam- Firebird  
  
(one month later)  
Selena sat quietly at a desk in the house, studying all she knew about mobile suit combat. Heero had insisted that she review all the systems for the wing-style Gundams. The girl drew a soft sigh. He's right. Much of this was forgotten. Now that I remember, I can help them. And repair any wing model suits that would get damaged.   
  
She got up and walked outside. Hard to believe that all of this could be either destroyed or taken over. Her hand tightened into a fist. I won't let that happen. By the abilities that I have, I will protect them all, with the others. The breeze soothed her, yet the recycled air of the colony was not quite what she liked. It was a beautiful day here, as always.  
  
Quatre's hand came to rest on her shoulder, causing her to react on instinct. Selena had whirled around and was in her guard stance. "Relax, Selena. Heero wanted me to come and get you." She relaxed and followed him to the well hidden building. Shock came over her face as her cousin leapt down from the Gundam.  
  
"Heero, what's going on?" she inquired, using the name he was most comfortable with. The few times she had called him Odin, he had either ignored or glared at her.  
  
"I know that you remember what Dr. Jay told you. Selena, the time has come for you to show them what you can do. Right now, none of the enemy soldiers have come to this colony, but they might soon. Now, this is your Gundam."  
  
Her gaze shifted over to it. "The suit is similar to Zero. I guess that's why you had me study the wing systems." The girl's eyes were twinkling with humor. She was origonally trained for such a style of suit and her cousin she had figured out before others could.  
  
"What are you going to call your suit?" Quatre inquired.   
  
"My suit is called Firebird." Such was my code-name while I was training. Well, translated that is.  
  
Suddenly an explosion rocked the area where they were. The other pilots rushed into the hangar. "Time to go to work!" Duo cried, dashing into the dock.   
  
"Selena, you stay here. Firebird still needs to be adjusted to your piloting style. I don't want you to get injured severely in your first battle." Heero declared. The five male pilots got into theirs and left.  
  
Now, Odin, I know why you said that. You just want to protect me. Yet you need my help at the same time. Oh, well. I'll start adjusting you now, Firebird. She gathered the tools she needed them climbed into the cockpit. From days long past, she recalled what to do and set to work.  
  
~in the colony plaza~  
"This is Red Aries. I have destroyed the main governmental building. Proceeding to the next target." the pilot declared. Suddenly, the pilot screamed as the suit exploded.  
  
"What the hell? This colony has no defenses!" another screamed. Sand Rock came into view, holding its twin scythes menacingly. Heavy Arms thundered up the street as Wing Zero landed behind the troops. Death Scythe Hell leapt from the roof of one building, down to the ground. Shenlong then completed the circle, cutting off any hope of retreat.   
  
"You have threatened this colony's sovereignty. Surrender and leave now or suffer the consequences." Quatre called over the communication channel. His voice was hard and cold. No one threatened the satellite that his family owned and got away with it.  
  
"Commander, these are the Gundams! They have never been defeated!" an officer in a Taurus cried. Fear was thick on his voice.   
  
"Destroy them!!" he roared. A shower of bullets and energy hit the five suits. Yet many of the bullets bounced off, as they weren't made to be gundanium penetrating.  
  
"Let's do it!" Duo cried as his Gundam lunged forward. The scythe was activated and it hissed. All of the remaining Aires suits were split in half. Heavy Arms then joined in, showering the space Leos with his bullets. The Shenlong Gundam used its dragon arm to destroy the one Virgo fighting him.   
  
Zero fought back, only using its beam saber for the cannons would be too dangerous to use. He slashed the remaining Virgos to ribbons of metal. Sand Rock leapt forward, using its scythes to crush another suit out of existence. The remaining suits left the colony in shocked surprise, which was more like blind, out of control terror.   
  
They left the plaza so the clean up could begin. "We were really lucky that time. They weren't expecting us." Trowa sighed as he leaned back into his seat.  
  
"But now they will be. On Chikyuu." Quatre replied.  
  
~*~  
  
Later that day, the six Gundam pilots came together. "So, what do you think we should do?" Quatre inquired after the options had been laid out.   
  
"Well, we should head to Chikyuu. After all, the colonies will fight back now. But we should split up so if one is caught the others will be safe from capture that day." Duo declared. That was the way they had first fought, one without the others.  
  
"Good idea. Groups of two would be best." Heero amended. They split up and headed for their suits, getting them ready for space travel.   
  
"Hey, Quatre, where are we going?" Selena inquired, making sure her helmet was firmly attached to her space suit.   
  
"We are going to Saudi Arabia. There is a group there that might be able to help us." They left the spaceport, flying in twos towards Chikyuu.   
  
About two days later, the blue planet showed up in their viewers. "Selena, you know what to do?"  
  
"Yes, Quatre. You've drilled me about it for the past two days." Her tone was weary, yet underneath it he could hear a teasing tugging at her voice. They entered the atmosphere, causing the outer casing to heat up. This was then shed at the proper layer, causing those watching to think that they had just seen shooting stars.  
  
The two suits landed quietly in the desert, yet not hidden because of their color. Firebird stood out as well as Sand Rock due to the beige sands of the land. 


	4. Innocence of a Soldier Chapter 4

TITLE: Innocence of a Soldier  
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gundam Wing.  
Chapter 4: Firebird's First Battle  
"Selena, are you all right?" Quatre called over. He was concerned, not really knowing the extent of her training.  
  
"I'm fine, but Heero installed the Zero system in here. I can tell." she replied.  
  
"How?"   
  
Selena laughed. "From the console. It is different than the suits I trained on. Apparently, he knows I can handle it."  
  
Just then, the sand colored suits of the Maguanaughts came up. A voice that Quatre knew well came over their com links. "Pilots, identify yourselves."   
  
"Quatre Raberba Winner, piloting Sand Rock."   
  
"Selena Lowe, piloting the Firebird."   
  
"Quatre-sama?! Why did you come back?" Raasheed cried. Shock was in his voice. This was completely unexpected.  
  
"We noticed the tensions coming from the new alliances, so we came back, plus one." Alarms suddenly blared from the Maguanaughts suits.   
  
"It's the Zodiac Prophecy!" one of the rebels cried. Their desert Leos came up, leveling their guns to shower the heroes with bullets.   
  
"Selena, are you up to this?"  
  
"Quatre, are you kidding me? I'm ready to kick some titanium butt!" she cried, transforming her suit into battle mode from the flight mode, which made it appear more like a phoenix. He smothered a laugh, knowing that this wasn't the time for it. The pilot slashed through a couple of the suits with his scythes.   
  
Selena raised her rifle, then blew more of them away. One charged too close for it to be safely shot, but she improvised by using the butt end of her weapon as a club. The titanium suit dented and she struck again, this time aiming at the head. It went flying off into the distance.  
  
The Maguanaughts combined firepower to destroy three more suits. Then, after one last shot, Firebird's rifle over heated. This she tossed down, and the beam saber was pulled out. Sand Rock got cornered, and his friend saw this. "Quatre!" she cried. A loud scream erupted from her as she sliced the offending Leo in half. Her anger had added strength to what was seemingly simple, for that suit was re-enforced against such attacks.  
  
The last Leo fell to the ground in pieces. Selena had her Gundam pick up the rifle lying on the desert sands. "You two had better come with us. Our base isn't far away." They followed the suits to the hidden base. Once all the suits were in place, the pilots came out.  
  
Quatre grimaced, holding the place where Dorothy had stabbed him more than a year before. The pain was practically shooting through him. His scar had opened again. Why hadn't he thought to get stitches in it in the first place?  
  
"Are you all right?" Selena inquired in a worried way. Her cobalt blue eyes showed the emotion that was very nearly trained out of her cousin.  
  
"I'm fine." he managed to get out, between his gasps of pain.  
  
"Yeah, right. I recognize the fact that you are hurt." She helped him up and to a room they were showed to. Once there, she expertly cleaned and dressed his wounds. And the reopened scar she stitched shut with a gentleness that he never knew she possessed.  
  
~*~  
  
Quatre woke up sharply. His gaze shifted to where Selena lay, fast asleep. She was curled up in a blanket on the floor, ready to help him if it was needed. She is so similar to her cousin in some ways, then totally different in others. He remembered the fact that she'd thrown all of those who knew the Martial Arts over her when they'd attempted to do something stupid. Yes, in the words of Duo, "She's one tough cookie." Even when she helped them regain the form they had lost, she had been hard on them. Still, he had seen her upset and crying, hurt by the fire and impatient to recover from smoke-seared lungs; then unsure of her piloting as they journeyed to Chikyuu.   
  
He fell back asleep, and like his friend, was unaware of what destiny lay ahead of them. 


	5. Innocence of a Soldier Chapter 5

TITLE: Innocence of a Soldier  
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gundam Wing.  
NOTES: This is two months and twenty battles after they'd all arrived on Chikyuu.  
Chapter 5: Destiny Realized  
Selena walked into a castle on Japanese grounds. Her mission: to find Zechs Marquis and Lucretcia Noin. The girl saw many people dancing, including her cousin. She then noticed it was Relena in his arms. So, the rescue was a success. I'm glad that it was.   
  
She leaned against a wall, smoothing the skirt of her aquamarine dress with gloved hands. Her raven black hair cascaded down her back gracefully in waves from the braid she had kept it in. Then a general came up to her. "May I have this dance?" he inquired. Selena looked into his face.  
  
"It would be my pleasure, sir." she replied. The couple danced gracefully over the main floor of the room and when the song was over, she excused herself.   
  
~  
  
That's it, Selena. Keep your distance. Don't let them know who you really are. Heero thought with approval. She remembered more of her training than he thought. During the years they had been separated, Selena hadn't the reason to use such skills, to his knowledge.  
  
"Heero, who is she?" Relena inquired. Curiosity laced her tone, as she had never seen the teenager before.  
  
"She is my cousin. I'll tell you more later."   
  
~  
  
Selena emerged from the hall onto a patio outside. Stars sparkled overhead and the breeze was tinged with the smell of the ocean that was only two miles away. There she saw the two she had to convince to join them. The couple turned sharply, realizing that they were being watched.  
  
"Who are you?" Zechs demanded.  
  
"My name is Selena Lowe. May I speak with you two in private?" she replied softly. They followed her to another location. Hastily, she told them of the situation that they were all in. "Are you willing to help us?"   
  
"We'll help. They've gone way too far with everything they've done." Lucretcia declared. Her eyes snapped in anger as she struggled to keep her voice down.  
  
~*~  
  
They left the party, with Relena coming along as well. "Are they willing to help us?" Heero inquired after they met with Selena.  
  
"Hai, they will. Miss Noin said that they'd gone too far." she replied.  
  
Relena looked over to the girl. "Heero told me that you are his cousin. What is your name?"  
  
"My name is Selena Lowe. You are Relena Peacecraft-Darlien, right?"   
  
"Right." she confirmed.  
  
Once the group was back at the safe house, they got ready for bed. As Selena settled into hers, she let out a sigh of relief. Leaving at midnight allowed us to escape any suspicion. Man, after all of that, I feel like I could sleep for a week. She rubbed her sore feet. All the dancing had been a little much for her.  
  
~*~  
  
She woke at the time she usually did and got dressed. As usual, she was in casual clothing that wouldn't get in the way of her piloting her Gundam. The young woman came down the stairs as she was braiding her hair, only to hear Duo call out in appreciation. "Hey, pretty lady!"   
  
"Duo, knock it off. You're such a flirt." Selena laughed. After finishing her breakfast, she went down into the hanger to work on her suit. Her gaze took in the nearly completed suits that had been moved from another location. The white Taurus and the Tallgeese. I hope that they can help.   
  
Her own Gundam was in excellent condition, considering what it had already gone through. She went over the systems, checking for any errors that might be in them. When she looked up, she saw Quatre finish his own repairs.   
  
He came down, finished with his suit. Then he saw Selena going over Firebird's systems with a fine-toothed comb. Afterwards, she looked up, realizing that Quatre was staring at her. "Are you all right?" she inquired.  
  
"I'm fine." The Sand Rock pilot watched her as she came down from her suit. She turned to leave, but he took hold of her arm.   
  
"What are you..." she began, but was cut off when Quatre's lips sealed her own.   
  
~  
  
Heero looked down from the cockpit of his suit. "Hey, Zero, do you think this will work?" He got a positive answer from his Gundam. With a secretive smile, he returned to work.  
  
~  
  
"I guess that answers my question." a flustered Selena muttered. A blush was spreading over her face from what had just occured.  
  
"Sorry, Selena. I wasn't thinking." He, too, was blushing.   
  
"No, Quatre. You don't have to apologize. You are the only person I'm not related to that has shown that type of care about me."   
  
The alarm sounded, and red lights flashed in their hangar. Duo's head popped out of Death Scythe. "What's going on?" he demanded.   
  
"Sounds like another attack to me. Let's get going." Heero declared. Everyone got into the cockpits of their suits, then headed out.   
  
~  
  
At the battlefield, near a town in a peaceful area. Zero and Firebird came down from the sky, transforming as they landed. Everyone else also came up. Many of the enemy suits were destroyed, but a majority of the pilots avoided the blows.   
  
Then, after six shots, the two rifles on the wing suits overheated. "Kuso*, these guys are good." Heero hissed. Anger was strong in him.  
  
"Well, then, let's switch tactics. Throw them off of us." Selena suggested. Trust her to think with a level head in the heat of battle. A deep crunching noise came into the cabins of the two wing models as a Cancer was ripped in half. After the light from the explosion died away, the Tallgeese was revealed. A white Taurus destroyed an Aries coming up to them.  
  
"You are lucky we came when we did." Zechs declared over the comm.-link.   
  
"Arigato* for your help." Selena replied. Then, the beam saber was pulled out of her suit. She slashed open a Leo, then fired the machine guns mounted in the head of Firebird. This is bad. Time to use the Zero system. The young amazon activated it, quickly adapting to the increase of battle data. Trouble had come, and she faced it as only a soldier could.  
  
"Kuso! Selena's activated the Zero system!" Duo roared while green gas flooded from his energy scythe. Then the suit in front of the Shini no Kami* fell down in two pieces.   
  
Quatre felt concern for the girl. Then he shook his head. "Come off it, guys! These people are worse than the White Fang! In the words of Selena, 'Let's kick some titanium butt!'" He then charged up his scythes. The Sand Rock pilot then got his cross grip on the enemy suit and crushed it out of existence.   
  
"Hey, he's right!" Duo agreed, then opened a channel to the other suits. "The Great Shini no Kami has returned! Anyone who sees me has got a date with his maker!" He fired the arm cannon, and it destroyed another suit.   
  
Firebird destroyed the last suit, another Aries, with its beam saber. All eight allies left the battlefield, returning to the hanger to repair their suits. They began the activity. Selena looked up from her computer. "Hey Duo! I see why you call yourself the Shini no Kami!" she called in a jesting tone of voice.   
  
He looked a little embarrassed while the others laughed. They all finished in about five hours.   
  
~*~~  
(passage of time and location)  
  
Selena sat quietly on a park bench. Quatre came up to her, looking a little nervous. "Penny for your thoughts, my friend." she declared. He was acting like... Well, she really didn't know.  
  
He met her gaze, a deep emotion in his eyes. "I love you, Selena. W...will you marry me?"   
  
"Yes!!!"   
  
The Sand Rock pilot looked shocked as she flung her arms around him. Then he struggled to get ahold of her left hand. A smooth band of gundanium was slipped onto her ring finger. "I hope that our love will be as strong as this metal." he whispered.  
*  
  
Kuso- you don't want to know. It's impolite.  
  
Shini no Kami- God of Death 


	6. Innocence of a Soldeir Chapter 6

TITLE: Innocence of a Soldier  
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gundam Wing. That should satisfy Sunrise.  
Chapter 6: Final Battle  
Early in the morning, a loud explosion startled the eight pilots out of their sleep. They ran down to the hangar, then got into their mobile suits. Each soldier came out, then met the Maguanaught corps.   
"That was a good call, Quatre." Duo cried as he managed to avoid a blast from their enemy.   
  
Heero noticed that his cousin was in a lot of trouble. "Activate the Zero system, Selena!" His voice betrayed his fear for her, which nearly startled the others about them.  
  
"Hai, cousin." she replied, putting in the activation code. Now she fought fearlessly, as the Zero system enabled her to do so. The Zodiac Prophecy was shocked by the change. This worked in the favor of her allies.   
  
Many of the suits fell in great balls of fire. Then, Zechs shot an Aries coming in from the sky. The Maguanaughts helped in turning the tide of the battle. Then, Selena noticed something that only she and Heero could see. Their enemies were attempting to draw them all into a trap.   
  
"Listen up guys!" she called over their comm. links. "Heero installed the Zero system in our suits! Activate it with the code!" Her tone left them little room for argument. It was time for them to fight as the Lowe cousins did.  
  
~  
  
"The little sneak! Well, Death Scythe, let's do it!" Duo cried. He laughed, punching in the code.  
  
~  
  
"I hope I can do this. It's been a long time." Quatre muttered. His hand hovered over the controls for a brief second before he complied.  
  
~  
  
"The injustice!" Wufei cried as he typed in the code.  
  
~  
  
Trowa looked a little surprised, but activated the system. He knew that he could handle it.  
  
~  
  
There was now a significant change in the way each Gundam pilot was fighting. Many suits were destroyed in a short amount of time. A beeping in the cockpit alerted her to the charge on her rifle. "Yes! It's charged up!" Selena cried happily. As her communications equipment wasn't open to all suits, only her allies heard what she said. The weapon was drawn to aim, then ten suits were blown away.  
  
~  
  
Man, that guy's good. He blew away ten Aries with one shot. the commander thought. Just then, the Tallgeese destroyed his suit, and no trace was left of it.  
  
"The commander's been killed! For our commander!" a corporal cried. The others echoed him, and became totally reckless. All eight suits shot down the enemy, leaving them powerless. Continuing to fight in this battle would be sheer suicide for those that had survived the destruction of their suits. 


	7. Innocence of a Soldier Chapter 7

TITLE: Innocence of a Soldier  
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gundam Wing.  
NOTES: This is the final chapter of the story. As I've said before, it's for Anika, my sister.   
Chapter 7: War's End  
`*  
(denotes a news report)  
"The Gundam pilots and their allies have defeated Zodiac Prophecy. Now the Preventers have been started up again, with six new members. The suits used in the war won't be destroyed, but will be preserved as a way to defend the democratic government from more dictatorships." The reporter stated.  
  
*`(denotes end)  
  
"Heero Yuy, you are Preventer Ice. Selena Lowe, you are Firebird. Quatre Winner, you are Desert Sands. Trowa Barton, you are Bullet. Chang Wufei, you are Dragon. Duo Maxwell, as usual, the Shini no Kami." Lady Anne declared. "You are now members of the Preventers, and as such, you have a duty to all the Earth Sphere. Do you accept this responsibility?"  
  
"We accept." they chorused.  
~*~  
(9 months later)  
I'm not alone anymore. I have a wife, friends and a responsibility. Soon, a child will be on the way. Quatre came up behind Selena, and looked at the painting she'd just finished. The way she'd captured everything was just incredible. "That's beautiful, Selena."  
  
"Arigato*. This one is not for sale." she replied. A sharp pain exploded from her abdomen. "We have to go now!" Three excruciating hours later, a baby girl was born.   
  
"What is her name?" the doctor inquired, still eyeing Selena uncomfortably.  
  
"She is Sirena Ariel Winner." Quatre declared.   
  
~*~  
  
Heero walked into the room with his wife, Relena of course, and their son. The Perfect Soldier looked at the bundle lying in his cousin's arms. She laughed. "Come here, Odin." Laughter crept its way around her words.  
  
"Don't call me that."  
  
"Well it gets your attention. Here. She is Sirena." Heero held her a little uncomfortably, unsure of what to do with a baby girl.   
  
~*~  
  
Once they were released, they went back to the house, only to meet the other pilots. "Hey, ladies! Some cute babies you've got there!" Duo cried.  
  
"Duo!" Hilde smacked the back of his head. "Quit being such a flirt! You're going to be a father yourself soon." He blushed a deep crimson as he looked at his wife.   
  
Quatre gently took Sirena from Selena's arms. Then, the woman went over and unveiled the painting. "Why are the mobile suits in the back round?" Lucretcia inquired, her three-year-old child clinging to her leg.  
  
"I put them there because they are extensions of their pilots." she explained. Hilde looked closely at them. Duo sure had on his usual expression.   
  
"We should keep in practice, for we never know when we will be needed again." Zechs declared.   
That was agreed to by all. Danger could come when it was least expected, and they had learned that the hard way. 


End file.
